NOT APPLICABLE
The field of endeavor to which this invention pertains is the preparation and use of acidic copper wood preservatives with reduced ferrous metal corrosion properties and improved wood protection properties. The subject matter of the claimed invention relates to water soluble fatty amine salts, and their use with water soluble acidic copper wood preservative salts.
Amines are ammonia derivatives; they are obtained from ammonia by replacement of one, two or three of the hydrogens by alkyl groups. When at least one alkyl group is derived from a fatty acid, or synthesized to mimic a fatty acid alkyl group the amine is known as a fatty amine. Wood preservatives are most economically diluted with water for wood treating, and my invention is especially concerned with water soluble fatty amine salts. The formate salt of dimethylcocoamine is preferred in my invention.
Acidic copper wood preservative salts include the sulfate, formate, and acetate. In the prior art copper sulfate has been most used commercially; and almost invaribly with chromates for inhibiting corrosion, and for fixing the copper in the wood. The formate and acetate are known to provide superior wood preservation when compared to the sulfate; however, they have been little used because of corrosion problems without chromates, and poor compatibility with chromates. Copper formate, because of its superior record of long term wood protection, is the preferred water soluble acidic copper salt in my invention.
Water soluble acidic copper salts and their superior wood protection properties are reported in the wood preservation technical literature. Water soluble fatty amine salts are also reported in the wood preservation technical literature. There are no reports of combining the two salts, or of the reduced corrosion properties and improved wood protection properties which results when the two are combined. With restrictions on the use of chromates in recent years, many new copper wood preservatives are being developed. Invariably, these new preservatives are complexes of copper compounds with ammonia or amines. The acid copper salts have been ignored for fear of corrosion problems even though it is known they can be used successfully at much lower copper retentions in the wood.
I have found that water soluble fatty amine salts are effective corrosion inhibitors for water soluble acidic copper salts, and that combinations of these two salts provide superior wood protection. It is anticipated my invention will be used with pressure treating.
The present invention provides a novel wood preservative composition which comprises water soluble acidic copper salts combined with water soluble fatty amine salts in a weight ratio of from 0.1 to 10 parts water soluble fatty amine salt for each part of water soluble acidic copper salt. It also provides a method for protecting wood from attack by termites, decay, and mildew which comprises treating the wood to a retention of from 0.01 to 1 pound per cubic foot of a water soluble acidic copper salt plus 0.01 to 1 pound per cubic foot of a water soluble fatty amine salt. It further provides a method for reducing the ferrous metal corrosion properties of water soluble acidic copper wood preservative salts which comprises combining them with water soluble fatty amine salts wherein the weight ratio of the water soluble fatty amine salt to the water soluble acidic copper salt ranges from 0.1 to 10. The object of my invention is to allow the continued use of acidic copper salts, now without chromates, in wood preservation so as to conserve millions of pounds of copper, and to protect the environment from chromates and unnecessary copper.